Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating background processing of push content

ABSTRACT

Apparatus, and an associated method, for a communication device operable pursuant to a push content communication scheme. An instruction detector detects a message containing a instruction by which to operate upon push content. The message is, for instance, generated by a mobile station at which an application associated with the content is resident. Once detected by the instruction detector, a content operator operates upon the content in a manner corresponding to the instruction contained in the detected message. Once operated upon, the content is stored at a storage element, available when an application of which the content is associated, becomes active.

The present invention relates generally to a manner by which tofacilitate the processing of push content, communicated pursuant to apush content scheme. More particularly, the present invention relates toapparatus, and an associated method, for background processing of thepush content communicated pursuant to the push content scheme in amobile, or other, communication system.

Background processing is performed upon the content at, e.g., a proxyserver, prior to pushing the content associated with an application tothe mobile station and, e.g., at the mobile station. The backgroundprocessing is performed responsive to an instruction to perform thebackground processing, and the rules pursuant to which the backgroundprocessing is performed are provided in a message delivered to thelocation at which the background processing is performed. By backgroundprocessing the content, communication delays that otherwise would occurwaiting for an application to be in an active state are obviated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many new types of communication systems have been made possible as aresult of technological advancements in communication technologies.Mobile communications, for instance, have exhibited significant growthand mobile communication systems have been developed, deployed, andpopularly used by many. Both telephonic and data communications areeffectuable by way of a mobile communication system. While first usedprimarily for communication of short messages, such as e-mail messages,increasingly, the mobile communication systems are constructed to becapable of effectuating data communications to carry out data-intensivecommunication services and applications.

Push-message services, for instance, are provided in some datacommunication systems, including mobile communication systems. Thecommunication of data pursuant to a push message service is advantageousin that the content that is communicated is caused to be delivered to areceiving communication device without particular action taken by thereceiving communication device, or its user, to retrieve the content.When the content is pushed to the receiving communication device, itsdelivery is more timely than when communicated in a conventionalrequest-response type of communication scheme. In such a scheme,communication of the content is delayed until a request is made by thereceiving communication device for the delivery of the content.

Various proposals are under consideration by which to standardizevarious aspects of push content communications and additional proposalsare solicited. For instance, the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Limited ispromulgating a standardization document entitled, “Dynamic ContentDelivery Requirements”. The document pertains, in part, to requirementsand protocols associated with content for communication in a mobilecommunication system. The content delivery scheme pertains to variousnetwork technologies. And, in various aspects, the content deliveryscheme is intended to enable an application and to provide forasynchronous push content.

Processing is required to be performed upon the content. Processing ofthe content requires time for its performance and completion. Theprocessing time period is dependent, in part, upon the amount of contentthat is to be processed and upon the type and amount of processing thatis to be performed upon content. The processing time required to processcontent is, if extensive, noticeable and deleteriously affectscommunication performance or a user's perception of the communicationperformance.

While background processing, i.e., processing operations performed whenan application is inactive, is generally known, its implementation withrespect to content communicated in a push content communication scheme,has not fully been investigated.

An improved manner by which better to provide for background processingof content communicated in a push content communication scheme is,therefore, needed.

It is in light of this background information related to thecommunication of push content that the significant improvements of thepresent invention have evolved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram showing elements of anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of a mobile communicationsystem in which an embodiment of the present invention is operable.

FIG. 3 illustrates a functional block diagram of portions of acommunication device operable pursuant to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block diagram, similar to that shown inFIG. 3, here representative of alternate operation of an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a representation of a queue structure in anapplication message store during operation of an exemplary communicationdevice of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a representation, similar to that shown in FIG. 4,but here representative of the queue structure when the communicationdevice is operated in another manner.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method flow diagram listing the method of operationof an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides apparatus,and an associated manner, by which to facilitate the processing of pushcontent, communicated pursuant to a push content scheme.

Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a manner isprovided by which to perform background processing on push contentcommunicated to a push content scheme in a mobile, or other,communication system.

In one aspect of the present invention, background processing isperformed upon the content at, e.g., a proxy server, prior to pushingthe content to the mobile station. The background processing isperformed in response to an instruction. Background processing is alsoperformable upon the content at a mobile station, once the content ispushed thereto without requiring the application with which the contentis associated to be active.

In one implementation, processing rules used at the proxy server orother server side entity pursuant to background processing are containedas part of the push content. The push proxy agent extracts the rules forbackground processing at the proxy.

An application provisioned at the mobile station, in one implementation,has a corresponding server side part that is deployed at the proxy. Theserver side application dictates the background processing rules to theproxy push agent.

In another implementation, the application on the mobile stationdictates rules to a client push agent embodied at the mobile station.These contain both client side and server side rules. The client pushagent forwards the server side rules to the proxy push agent. In afurther implementation, the rules are influenced by mobile station userpreferences, provided, e.g., by inputs via a user interface entered by auser of the mobile station. Again, server side rules are forwarded tothe proxy push agent.

Various combinations of such implementations are also possible. Forexample, in one implementation, the server side part of the applicationis deployed at the proxy. And, in one implementation, the client sideapplication directly communicates the server side processing rules tothe server side application. The rules are, e.g., generic across allpush content subscribers. Or, the rules are customized server siderules.

The instruction responsive to which the processing is performed providesinstructions regarding the performance of the background processing andthe rules pursuant to which the background processing is performed. Theinstruction is provided to the location at which the backgroundprocessing is performed, such as, e.g., at the proxy server, at themobile station, or at another logical device.

By providing for the background processing of the content at the serverside, an application need not be active for the processing of thecontent. Processing of content, which otherwise would be delayed untilthe application with which the content is associated, is performed as abackground operation, and the processing of the data, if alreadycompleted, prior to the application becoming active, is ready for use bythe application without further delay.

In another aspect of the present invention, the background processing isperformed according to a rule, or set of rules, delivered to thebackground processor or location at which the background processing isperformed. The background processor is formed, for instance, at a pushagent implemented as a client push agent at the mobile station and as aproxy push agent at the proxy. In one embodiment, the processing rulesby which the background processing is performed are determined bymessage definitions defined at development time. In another embodiment,the rules are determined dynamically at run time from the content of themessage. When defined by message definitions at development time,statically defined rules are provided. When, in contrast, dynamicallydefined rules are provided, the rules are contained as part of the pushcontent or, alternately, dictated by the application.

In one implementation, the background processor is formed at, or forms,a push agent. And, the message containing metadata or rules by whichprocessing is to be performed is sent to the push agent from theapplication with which the push content is associated. The processing isperformed upon the push content prior to storing, processinginstructions/metadata embedded in the content, and applicationnotification interface. The push agent notifies the application that thecontent is ready. In one implementation, the data that is to be updatedon the client is identified by a unique key in the message. The uniquekey forms, e.g., a predefined XML tag or an ID (identification) for adata record, or other such message content used for purposes ofidentification.

In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associatedmethod, is provided for a communication device operable pursuant to apush content communication scheme. A content operator is adapted toreceive content communicated pursuant to the push content communicationscheme. The content operator is configured to operate upon the contentin an instructed manner as a background operation. An instructiondetector is adapted to receive content metadata. The content metadata,also referred to herein as content processing metadata, defines aninstructed manner by which the content is to operate upon the content.The instruction detector is configured to instruct the content operatorof the content metadata.

In operation, content processing metadata defines an instructed mannerby which to operate upon the content. Then, operations are performedupon the content in the instructed manner as a background operation. Byproviding for the background processing of the content, an applicationneed not be active for the processing of the content. Processing ofcontent, which otherwise would be delayed until an application withwhich the content is associated, is performed as a background operation.And, the processing of the data, if already completed prior to theapplication becoming active, is ready for use by the application withoutfurther delay.

Referring first, therefore, to FIG. 1, an assembly, shown generally at10, represents elements involved in operation of an embodiment of thepresent invention by which background processing is performed uponcontent. The elements comprising the assembly 10 are implementable inany desired manner and positionable at any desired physical entity of amobile communication system.

Here, the assembly is shown to include an application 12, a push agent14, and a storage entity 16. The respective elements 12, 14, and 16, areselectably positionable in communication connectivity, indicated by wayof the segments 18, 22, 24, and 26. The application 12, in the exemplaryimplementation that shall be described herein below, is embodied at amobile station of a mobile communication system. The push agent, adynamic content delivery client 14, is, e.g., embodied at a networkdevice as a proxy push agent, such as at a proxy server forming a pushagent. The push agent is, in one implementation, or alternately,positioned at a mobile station as a client push agent, or elsewhere at acommunication network. And, the storage entity 16, in one exemplaryimplementation, is also network-positioned, such as together with thepush agent at a proxy server or external to the proxy server at anothernetwork location and, in another exemplary implementation, positioned atthe mobile station.

The push agent, wheresoever positioned, receives messages, hererepresented by way of the segment 18. The message forms, or includes,metadata or rules pursuant to which background processing is to beperformed in a background mode of operation. The client is hererepresented to include a content operator 28 and an instruction detector32. The content operator and instruction detector are functionalentities, also implementable in any desired manner.

The instruction detector operates to detect a message communicatedthereto, here represented by, or by way of, the line 18. The messagedetected by the detector, in the exemplary implementation, directlycontains the rules for metadata pursuant to which the content is to beoperated upon by the content operator, e.g., is of values identifyingthe content processing metadata. In an alternate implementation, themessage includes a message ID that, when detected by the detector 32, ismapped to a message definition of a message definition set. In theexemplary implementation in which the message directly contains themetadata or rules by which the content is to be operated upon, themessage forms, e.g., an XML message, a binary type message wrapped in anXML message, or other type of message. In a further implementation, themessage delivered to the client and detected by the instruction detectoralso includes a key that identifies the data that is to be updated,i.e., operated upon. The key forms, e.g., a unique key comprised of apredefined XML tag, or an identification of a data record, etc.

In an implementation in which the application provides the push agent 14the rules in a message sent in a beforehand manner, e.g., in a mannersimilar to an initial registration by the application to inform the pushagent of the manner by which to background process the push content. Inanother implementation, the processing rules are contained as part of amessage that also contains the push content.

Once detected, the instruction detector notifies the content operator 28of the rules by which the content is to be operated upon. And,responsive thereto, the content operator operates upon the data.

Upon completion of the processing upon the content, a message isprovided to the application, here represented by, or by way of, the line22 to alert the application that the content is ready. And, the content,once processed, is stored at the storage entity 16. The storage entityis accessible by the application, here indicated by, or by way of, theline 26. The storage entity is, e.g., located at the mobile station atwhich the application 12 is resident, at a network entity at which thepush agent is located, or at another network entity. In any event, theupdated content or data is updated in a background mode of operation,obviating the need of the application to be active for the operations tobe performed on the content.

Referring next to FIG. 2, a communication system, shown generally at 50,provides for radio communication between a network part 52 and a mobilestation 54 by way of a radio air interface 56. In the exemplaryimplementation, content is communicated both by the network part to themobile station and by the mobile station to the network part. Forpurposes of describing exemplary operation of an embodiment of thepresent invention, communication of push content originated at, orprovided to, the network part to the mobile station 54 shall bedescribed. Such description is by way of example. Communication ofcontent by the mobile station to the network part is analogously carriedout. The elements of the assembly 10 form parts of the communicationsystem, physically embodied, in various embodiments, at various entitiesof the communication system 50.

The network part is here shown to include an access network (AN) 58 anda data network 62 suitably connected theretogether in communicationconnectivity. The data network 62 here forms a packet data network, suchas the Internet, and communication devices, such as the applicationserver 64 that contains, or generates, content, and shall, at times,herein be referred to as a content provider. Other network devices, ofwhich the network device 65 is representative, are also connected to thenetworks 58 or 62. A storage entity 16 is embodied at the device 65.

The network part also includes a proxy server 66, here connected to theaccess network 58 and to the data network 62. Content sourced at theapplication server is, pursuant to conventional operation, routed to theproxy server by way of the data network. And the proxy server performs adirect wireless push to the mobile station by way of the access networkand the radio air interface for subsequent forwarding on to the mobilestation by way of the radio air interface 56.

Content data, herein referred to, at times, as notifications, is pushedto the mobile station to deliver the notifications to the mobile stationwithout requiring separate requests to be made by the mobile station.The mobile station includes transceiver circuitry, here represented by atransmit part 72 and a receive part 74. The mobile station also includesan application, here shown at 12, that consumes content pushed to themobile station. And content data 78, associated with the application andmetadata 80 are further shown. And, here, a storage entity 16 is alsoprovided at the mobile station.

The content provider embodied at, or forming, the application server 74offers dynamic content, e.g., a push-enabled XML web service, andsupports content subscription by, or on behalf of, an end-user of themobile station 54. When content is to be communicated to a mobilestation, the content provider sends the content to the proxy server 76that, in turn, delivers the content using a notification mechanism.

The proxy server 66 interacts with external content providers, such asthe content provider formed of the application server 74 and with mobilestations, such as the mobile station 54, and the applications residentthereat. In operation, the proxy server further mediates subscriptionand notification work flows between the content provider and the mobilestation and provides miscellaneous radio optimization services, such asprotocol and format transformations, scheduled delivery, temporarystorage of content when a mobile station is out of communication range,broadcast services, group subscriptions, and other services. The proxyserver also includes a transmit part 72 and a receive part 74. The proxyserver, in an exemplary implementation, also includes a storage entity16, as well as an instruction detector 32 and content operator 28.

In the exemplary implementation shown in the figure, the proxy serverincludes the content operator 28 and the instruction detector 32. Asnoted previously, corresponding structure is also, or alternately,implementable at the mobile station as a client push agent. Theinstruction detector is configured to receive messages that provideinstruction of the manner by which the content operator is to operateupon content. The message, for instance, directly contains theinstruction, and the instruction detector detects the instruction andprovides indications thereof to the content operator. The contentoperator performs operations upon the content in conformity with theinstructions detected by the detector. In the exemplary implementation,the message containing the instructions also identifies the content thatis to be operated upon.

The content operator operates upon the content, and, when the operationsare completed, the operated-upon content is ready for storage at astorage entity. Any of the storage entities 16 are available at which tostore the operated-upon content. That is to say, the storage entity 16at the proxy server, the storage entity 16 at the device 65, and thestorage entity 16 at the mobile station are all available at which tostore the content, once operated upon by the content operator. Oncestored, the content is available for use by the application 12 when theapplication becomes active. The application knows from which storageunit to get the content. In one implementation, the application dictatesthe location of the storage as part of the processing rules. In anotherimplementation, the push agent indicates the location of the storage tothe application when the content ready signal is sent.

In an alternate embodiment, static operation is provided as analternative to dynamic processing rules. When a background processingattribute is operated, notifications delivered to a mobile applicationresident at a mobile station permit update of the internal data of theapplication. When a notification arrives at the mobile station, themobile application may, or alternately, may not be, running, i.e.,active. If the application is running, each notification is processedwhen the notification arrives. And, any necessary internal data isupdated and, if appropriate, content is displayed to an end user. Whenthe application is running, foreground processing is performed in themanner just-described. A fundamental manner by which to handlenotifications when the application is closed, i.e., inactive, is toqueue the notifications upon their arrival. When the application issubsequently started, the application processes the notifications storedin its queue.

Through operation of the background processing attribute of anembodiment of the present invention, updates to the internal data of theapplication take place while the application is closed or inactive. Thatis to say, background processing of notifications is performed. Inoperation, the application is still able to release all resources whenclosed. By acquiring only minimal resources if and when required toprocess a notification in the background, the data remains continuallyupdated and ready for the end user when the end user subsequentlystarts, or causes the start of, the operation.

FIG. 3 illustrates portions of the mobile station 54 shown in FIG. 2 andthe application 12 forming the content client 36 thereof. The portionsanalogously can form parts of the network part, such as the applicationserver 24 or the proxy server 26. Here, an application 12, anapplication definition store 112, an external storage agent 114, and anapplication message store 116 are shown. The application message storeincludes a message router 118 that is coupled, here represented by wayof the line 122, to a communication layer 124.

The application definition store 112 contains data definitions, messagedefinitions and executable scripts. A data definition exists for eachunique data type of the application and is given a unique dataidentifier. The data definition specifies the order and type of fieldswithin a data type. A message definition exists for each unique messagetype of the application and is given a unique message identifier. Themessage definition specifies the order and types of field within amessage. A message contains one or more data types. The scripts, e.g.,are executable Java scripts and operate on one or more of the datatypes. The arrival and processing of a message triggers the processingof a script. The script, e.g., has access to the data contained withinthe message. And, script association to a message is specified by anapplication developer.

The following exemplary data type, referred to as a simple data type,simple data, contains two fields, an integer and a string. Here, thesimple data comprises:

<data name=“SimpleData” key=“intField”> <field name=“intField”type=“int”> ....some data...</field> <field name=“stringField”type=“string”> ....some data...</field> </data>

All of the data of the simple data type are contained in a collectionbelonging to the application. When a simple data component is insertedinto the collection, the key, which is specified as the field “intField”for this type is used to determine if an existing component in thecollection should be updated, or if the component is new.

Another example simple message is shown as follows:

<message name=“SimpleMessage”> <field name=“simpleDataField”type=“SimpleData”> ....some data...</field> </message>

The message definition also preferably specifies if the backgroundprocessing property has been set. In this exemplary embodiment, thebackground processing property is relevant only if the message is anotification. In this example, the definition is extended to:

<message name=“SimpleMessage” BackgroundProcessing=“true”> <fieldname=“simpleDataField” type=“SimpleData”> ....some data...</field></message>

A simple script, referred to as SimpleScript is associated with thesimple message. Upon processing of the simple message, the SimpleScriptalso is executed. The SimpleScript performs, e.g., some data operation,displays the data within the message to an end user, or requests someother input. During processing of messages, data updates from messages,including notifications, occur in the same manner in both the foregroundand background modes by which the mobile station is operable. Thepresence of a particular data type in the message indicates how mappingfrom the message data to the application data should take place. Usingthe example of the simple message, when the field of type SimpleData isread from the message, the component is stored automatically into thecollection of SimpleData types at the application. If the key of thecomponent in the message matches an existing key in the collection, thecomponent in the collection is updated. Otherwise, the component fromthe message is added as a new component to the collection. Theapplication data store 114 contains the saved data of the application.

The application message store indicates two queues, the foreground queue126 and the background queue 128. When an application is running, onlymessages from the foreground queue are processed. When the applicationis closed, only messages from the background queue 128 are processed.The message router 118 of the application message store routes everyincoming message, here received by way of the line 122, for applicationto the appropriate queue 126 or 128, based upon the state of theapplication and the background processing property of the notificationmessages. The message router is made aware of the state of theapplication by the run time of the application. And, the run timeenvironment notifies the message router 118 when the application 12 isstarted or closed.

Each incoming message to the device contains an applicationidentification and a message identification. The communication layer 124uses the application identification to place the message in theappropriate message store 116 where it is picked up by the messagerouter 118. If the application is running, the message is routed to theforeground queue 126. But, if the application is closed, the messagerouter 118 uses the message identification to obtain the appropriatemessage definition from the definition store 112. If the messagedefinition indicates that the background processing property has beenset for the message, the notification is routed to the background queue.Otherwise, the notification is routed to the foreground queue.

In this mode, the running application requires all of the resources fordisplaying the user interface, processing user events, and keeping alldefinitions and data in memory in addition to processing of messages andscripts.

FIG. 4 illustrates elements similar to those shown in FIG. 3, but hererepresenting a push agent 132 that is coupled, here represented by wayof the line 134, with the background queue 128. The push agent 132 is,in one embodiment, central to all applications and corresponds to thecontent operator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Alternately, the push agent isdedicated for a particular application. And, in an extendedimplementation, an application registers its custom push agent with therun time environment to handle background notifications. In thisimplementation, the push agent is central to all applications. Themessage router notifies the push agent of the new notification. The pushagent takes the first message off the head of the background queue 128.And, the push agent then accesses the application definition store toobtain the appropriate message definition and any associated script. Thepush agent also accesses the external storage agent 114 to update andsave data.

In this background operation mode, the background processor is idle andit consumes few resources when there are no background notifications toprocess. When required to process a notification, the backgroundprocessor temporarily loads only the necessary definitions and data fromthe external storage agent 114.

Foreground rules permit for unrestricted script execution, includingboth data and user interface operations. If the application is running,but is not the application currently in use, script execution with auser interface operation requiring user input blocks, e.g., furthermessage processing until the input is received. Background rules, incontrast, restrict executable operations from a script. For example,user interface operations cannot be executed when the application isclosed. At development time, a developer is given a choice to specifytwo scripts to be associated with the message, one for foregroundexecution, and another for background execution. An alternative providesaccess to an application state flag in the script. UI (User Interface)operations are wrapped by the developer within a check asserting thatthe application is saved to the running application.

Messaging order is maintained in the background mode. The messagingprotocol includes, for instance, a requirement for ordered messageprocessing for an application. The communication layer typicallycontains the appropriate logic to support ordered messages at thetransport level. In a foreground mode, message ordering at theapplication level is maintained by queuing the messages in the orderreceived at the communication layer and processing the messages in thesame order. The introduction of a background queue for processing in thebackground mode breaks the strict ordering.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary queue structure while the application isrunning. The application has messages A and B and notification messagesC, D, and E. At the moment when the application is closed, the messagerouter filters notifications with the background processing property setand reroutes the notifications to the background queues.

FIG. 6 illustrates the resultant queue structure. Notifications with thebackground processing property set do not remain ordered with respect tonon-background messages. This is implied by the nature of the property.However, all notifications with the background processing step stillremain ordered with respect to each other. When the application isstarted, the message router once again reroutes any outstanding messagesin the background to the head of the foreground queue.

Flow control is further provided. When the application is running, flowcontrol is administered for the application as a whole. When theforeground queue size reaches a maximum threshold, all messages for theapplication are suspended. When the foreground queue size falls below aminimum threshold, delivery of all messages to the application areresumed.

When the application is closed, flow control is administered separatelyfor the foreground and background queues. That is, foreground messagesare suspended while background messages are delivered and vice versa.Separate thresholds for suspending and resuming the flow of foregroundversus background messages can also be set.

More generally, separate foreground and background queues perapplication are obviated, and all of the push content is initiallyplaced in one queue owned by the push agent. The push agent, upon takingthe next message of its queue, forwards it to the appropriateapplication queue if the application is active. If the application isinactive, the push agent determines if it has any processing rules forthis message defined in any manner, contained within the message ordefined statically the message definition. If the push agent hasprocessing rules, it processes the push content and updates the store.If not, it forwards the message to the appropriate application. Amessage router is placeable with the push agent and described as thecomputator that decides whether to forward the messages.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method, shown generally at 162, representative ofthe method of operation of an embodiment of the present invention. Themethod is for utilizing push content at a communication device operablepursuant to a push content communication scheme.

First, and as indicated by the block 164, a mobile station sends to thecommunication device, an indication of a selected content operation.Then, and as indicated by the block 166, an indication of contentmetadata is detected.

Then, and as indicated by the block 168, the content is operated upon inthe instructed manner as a background operation. Once the content isoperated upon, the content is stored, indicated by the block 172, at astorage element. And, as indicated by the block 174, the mobile stationretrieves the content stored at the storage element.

The previous descriptions are of preferred examples for implementing theinvention, and the scope of the invention should not necessarily belimited by this description. The scope of the present invention isdefined by the following claims.

1. Apparatus for a receiving communication device operable pursuant to apush content communication scheme, said apparatus comprising: a contentoperator configured to receive content associated with an application,the content communicated pursuant to the push content communicationscheme, the content including content processing metadata embeddedtherein , said content operator configured to operate upon the contentin an instructed manner as a background operation; an instructiondetector adapted to receive an indication of the content processingmetadata embedded within the content, the content processing metadatacomprising rules defining the instructed manner by which said contentoperator is to operate upon the content, said instruction detectorconfigured to instruct said content operator of the instructed mannerupon which to operate upon the content; and a storage element configuredto store the content, once operated upon as the background operation bysaid content operator and prior to said application becoming active. 2.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said content operator is embodied at afirst network device.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said storageelement further comprises an embodiment at the first network device. 4.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the content processing metadata isoriginated in conjunction with the application.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 4 wherein the push content communication scheme pushes content toa mobile station, and wherein the application, with which the contentoperated upon by said content operator is associated, is resident at themobile station.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the contentprocessing metadata detected by said instruction detector is originatedat the mobile station.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidinstruction detector detects the content processing metadata directlyfrom the indication of the content processing metadata.
 8. The apparatusof claim 7 wherein the indication of the content processing metadatacomprises an XML, Extensible Mark-up Language, message.
 9. The apparatusof claim 7 wherein the indication of the content processing metadatacomprises a binary message encapsulated in an XML, Extensible Mark-upLanguage, message.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said contentoperator and said instruction detector comprise parts of anetwork-positioned proxy server.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe communication device comprises a first network station connected toa communication network, the communication network having a secondnetwork station connected thereto, said storage element embodied at thesecond network station.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pushcontent communication scheme pushes content to a mobile station, andwherein the content, once stored at said storage element, is accessibleby the mobile station.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein theindication of the content processing metadata detected by saidinstruction detector comprises a mobile-station-originated selectedcontent operation.
 14. A method for utilizing content at a receivingcommunication device operable pursuant to a push content communicationscheme, said method comprising the operations of: detecting anindication of content processing metadata embedded within the content,the content processing metadata including rules that define aninstructed manner by which to operate upon the content, the contentassociated with an application; and operating upon the content in theinstructed manner, defined by the content processing metadata embeddedwithin the content, as a background operation; and storing the contentat a storage element once operated upon as the background operation andprior to the associated application becoming active.
 15. The method ofclaim 14 further comprising the operation, prior to said operation ofdetecting, of sending, from a mobile station to the communicationdevice, the indication of the content processing metadata.
 16. Themethod of claim 15 wherein said operation of detecting comprisesdetecting the content processing metadata directly from the indicationof the content processing metadata.
 17. The method of claim 14 whereinsaid operation of operating upon is performed at a first networkstation, wherein said operation of storing is performed at a secondnetwork location, said method further comprising the operation oftransporting the content from the first network station to the secondnetwork station.
 18. The method of claim 14 further comprising theoperation of retrieving, by a mobile station, the content stored at thestorage element.